Every year, summer league provides the Chicago Bulls and every other team around the league a chance to take a close look at their NBA talent and evaluate who should get a chance on the main squad. Chicago has gone 1-1 in its two games this year, but some players have stood out.
Dalen Terry was the headliner of the team heading into the summer. While he hasn’t been very efficient, his energy has been phenomenal. Julian Phillips looked a bit slow in his debut, and fellow rookie Adama Sanogo had one middling performance and one solid game. Javon Freeman-Liberty has been the star of the show, however.
Freeman-Liberty has been far and away the best player on Chicago’s summer league roster, and he believes he’s ready for a shot at the NBA. (H/t Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic)
“All my life I’ve been fighting to get here,” Freeman-Liberty said. “And I feel like I’m still not (anywhere). So I still got that chip on my shoulder, and I’m still motivated each and every day Just go out there and prove I belong somewhere. Not just anywhere. But I belong somewhere out there on that floor to help a team out one day.”
With Ayo Dosunmu’s place on the Bulls still in question, Freeman-Liberty could provide them with a solid alternative. Even if Dosunmu returns, the Bulls should still pursue a future with Freeman-Liberty.
He’s a solid scorer, an energetic presence on both ends of the court and he proved a consistent player in the G League last year. This summer league stint might be the push Chicago needs to bring him on board full-time.
